Former Celtic striker John Hartson discussed the differences between Odsonne Edouard and Moussa Dembele on a recent episode of the BBC’s Scottish Football podcast.
The former Wales forward was tasked with comparing the two players before being asked whether or not he believes Edouard to be a “bigger prospect” than Dembele who now plays his football in France. Here is how he responded:
“I wouldn’t say a bigger prospect, a bigger talent, no. I think you’ve got to look at Dembele, who is currently at Lyon. He’d be worth £35-£40m in the market, I would imagine. He’s been linked to Manchester United, he’s been linked to Chelsea – a fantastic player in his own right. They’re a little bit different as players, I think Dembele’s probably more robust, he’s a strong runner, Edouard’s got a bit more guile.”
TIF Thoughts…
Dembele, 24, played 94 times for the Hoops scoring 51 goals and providing 18 assists prior to joining Lyon in a deal reportedly worth £19.8m (via Transfermarkt). Since his departure from Parkhead, the player’s transfer market value has increased and currently stands at £36m.
Edouard is just 22-years-old despite having already made 126 appearances for the Glasgow-based club. He’s scored 60 goals and provided an impressive 31 assists (via Transfermarkt). However, he is valued at £12.15m, a significantly lower valuation than Dembele.
Edouard or Dembele?
Edouard
Dembele
Hartson, when asked to compare the two, described them as “a little bit different as players” and in our view, that is a fair assessment. Based on the statistics, Edouard is clearly more of a provider than Dembele although the pair are both clearly very effective attacking players.